GuitarHeroIii
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Turntable hero
With the Guitar Hero franchise finally hitting a Nintendo platform, we're so excited to see all of the things people are doing. Heck, even our own Mike Sylvester has had some fun with the Wii's Guitar Hero III controller. Now, we see one individual take the PS2 peripheral and reshape it into a turntable. While not entirely compatible with the game (we can't imagine trying to effectively complete songs on a difficulty higher than medium), we still find the mod to be pretty darn cool. What's next? A Xylophone? [Via Joystiq]
Activision opens pre-registration for Guitar Hero Wii replacement discs
For those of you who own the Wii version of Guitar Hero III and figured out you couldn't hear what the other speaker was saying, Activision is slowly beginning to remedy Guiter Hero Wii's mono sound. There is now a page up on the Activision's support site with information to pre-register for a replacement disc. The pre-registration is available for North American customers only, and the site claims new discs will be available in "early 2008." If you don't feel like pre-registering at this time, there is also a notification by email option for receiving updates on the situation. Guitar Hero Wii's mono sound should find a nice place in "How'd the heck that happen?" History, right next to Dead Rising's teenie tiny text.
Getting some block-rockin' beats out of the GHIII guitar
Do you remember that whole Wiijing thing? Well, it's been taken a step further with the new Les Paul wireless guitar that comes with Guitar Hero III. As you can see, it lends itself a little more to the whole musical theme a bit better than having a guy twirl a Wiimote around. Plus, it looks like it takes more skill to rock with the guitar than just Nintendo's newest controller.It isn't our kind of music, to be honest, but the folks in the video sure seem to get a kick out of it.
Joystiq's significant others name Guitar Hero III game of the year
Our exhaustively debated, occasionally pretentious list of the year's top games will be on the way soon, but we wanted to try something a little different to whet your appetite. We polled our wives, girlfriends and boyfriends (all of whom fall somewhere between casual and medium on the hardcore gaming spectrum) and asked them to choose their favorite games of the year.We opted to be more casual with this list, allowing games that may not have been released in 2007 as long as the significant other in question spent most of their time with them this year. So, it's without further ado that we present the top five: 1. Guitar Hero III 2. Peggle 3. Rock Band 4. Super Mario Galaxy 5. BioShock Way to go, everyone! What was interesting as we collected this list was the wide variety of games that were represented, many of which wouldn't even get a mention in most GOTY debates. Now, is that because they haven't played as many games or the more frightening option: Because they've lived a 2007 unpolluted by hype and are unafraid of picking the games that really brought them the most joy? Honestly, we're still not sure.Check out all the also-rans after the jump.
Guitar Hero III Mobile now available on Verizon
Just a quick reminder for interested parties that Verizon has made good on its promise today to pick up Guitar Hero III Mobile, a game that hopes to bring some fraction of the Guitar Hero franchise's wild success to the mobile world. The game comes bundled with 15 songs with more promised via monthly "song packs," but don't expect the rock star lifestyle to come cheap -- Guitar Hero III Mobile runs $4.49 per month or $11.99 for unlimited use, making it one of the more expensive games ever offered through a carrier's deck. Anyone out there planning to buy a phone with a big, comfortable keypad for the sole purpose of rocking out?[Via MobileBurn]
Guitar Hero III gets sleighful of fresh tracks
You may remember drooling over/staring quizzically at a load of new tracks we first reported on earlier this month. We just wanted to drop a line and let you know they'd become available, with "The Warner/Reprise Track Pack" (catchy title, guys) going for 500 points or $6.25 and the "popular European bands" going for 200 points/$2.50 a piece. Though we checked the Xbox Live Marketplace, since this is Thursday, we're assuming they're dropping on PS3 today, too. In case you need a reminder, they are:The Warner/Reprise Track Pack (master recordings) "Pretty Handsome Awkward" by The Used "Sleeping Giant" by Mastadon "No More Sorrow" by Linkin Park Single song downloads (courtesy of "popular European bands") "So Payaso" by Extremoduro "Antisocial" by Trust "Ernten Was Wir Säen" by Die Fantastischen Vier "Free, exclusive rock rendition" of a holiday classic "We Three Kings" by Steve Ouimette We took the cover of "We Three Kings" for a spin this morning, and liked it, even though the acoustic intro was kind a tease, leaving us still wishing for more variety in the lineup. That said, we're happy to report that its worth far exceeds the asking price.
Guitar Hero III gets rock 'n' roll patch
Woo! Good evening, internet! Welcome to the stage the new patch for Guitar Hero III on PS3 and Xbox 360, now, are you ready to rock? They're going to kick it off with "Improved Online Quick Match Results" and "Calibration Screen Improvements, Helping Users With High Lag AV Systems" and then one just for you Playstation 3 users: "The Co-Op Quickplay Mode." Finally, they're going to be closing with their new single: "Various Stability Improvements and Fixes." ... Hey, why doesn't anyone have their lighter out?... OK, so this patch isn't particularly rock 'n' roll. It doesn't wear a cool leather jacket or hassle nerds or boss around the rest of T-Birds. But it is practical, which is sort of cool too, isn't it? Maybe in a old-but-still-hip-English-professor sort of way? Guys? Where are you going?
Guitar Hero III DLC: The Used Mastadon roams Linkin Park
Well, perhaps the song selection will make more sense to you than the headline. Still not content with the initial track list in Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock, Activision has revealed the contents of the rock 'n rhythmer's next set of downloadable content (but not the price, so no accusing them of pitching a con-tent just yet). Right, on to the content: The Warner/Reprise Track Pack (master recordings) "Pretty Handsome Awkward" by The Used "Sleeping Giant" by Mastadon "No More Sorrow" by Linkin Park Single song downloads (courtesy of "popular European bands") "So Payaso" by Extremoduro "Antisocial" by Trust "Ernten Was Wir Säen" by Die Fantastischen Vier "Free, exclusive rock rendition" of a holiday classic "We Three Kings" by Steve Ouimette In fitting with tradition, you can expect the Warner/Reprise/Wrist Slasher Special track pack to cost $6.25 when it appears on the Xbox Live Marketplace and the PlayStation Network sometime in December. We'll let you know as soon we've confirmed the prices of the individual songs.
Activison: Actually, Harmonix to blame for PS3 guitar issues
Let us explain. ... No, there is too much. Let us sum up. Guitar Hero III controllers don't work with Rock Band on the PS3. Harmonix made a patch to fix the problem, which never appeared. Harmonix released a statement saying that Activision "objected to the release of the compatibility patch," effectively halting it's release from Sony. That brings us up to yesterday when Activision released their own statement that they were (shockingly) blameless, saying "In fact, Harmonix and its parent company MTV Games/Viacom recently declined Activision's offer to reach an agreement that would allow the use of Guitar Hero guitar controllers with Rock Band." So, now it's apparently Harmonix's fault. Great. That's much clearer.Tell you what. While you multi-billion dollar organizations are arguing like toddlers over a couple of toy guitars, we'll be over here being disgusted. Just tell us when you're done. Seriously, drop the he said/she said crap, do like Tim Gunn and make it work already, please.
Activision blocking Guitar Hero III axes from working in Rock Band
We could tell by the tone of Mr. Charles Huang's voice that something just wasn't right, and now it seems the truth has finally emerged. According to the Harmonix team, Activision is the reason why Guitar Hero III axes still aren't functioning with the PlayStation 3, and if that wasn't cruel enough, it stings even more to know that the solution is sitting in Sony's lap just waiting to be distributed. Reportedly, Harmonix has already created the patch that would allow GH III guitars to shred in Rock Band, but instead of it going out on December 4th as planned, kvetching by Activision has put the release on an indefinite hiatus. Granted, we're sure Harmonix is doing its best to cast itself in a positive light, but regardless of what's really going on behind the scenes, why not get an interoperability update out there and just let the consumer decide?[Thanks, dorrington]
Rock out with your block out: i am 8-bit guitar straps
You're a rebel. You don't listen intently for thoughtful gift ideas before hitting the mall months ahead of the holiday shopping season. No, you march to your own tune – a tune, which we should add, is more than likely generated by clicking brightly colored plastic buttons on a plastic guitar – and you wait until the last minute to get your gift ideas from a blog, a video game blog, of all places. Relax, you're amongst peers. Which is why we just had to show you these vinyl guitar straps with that i am 8-bit aesthetic we know you're so crazy about. Yeah, it's really a Christmas present for yourself, but you've been good this year, right? We thought so.[Thanks, Kevin]
Dad finds son smoking pot, attacks his weak point for massive damage
When eBay seller k_lid found his fifteen-year-old son Isaac smoking marijuana on the patio with two of his "delinquent friends," he did what any respectable parent would do: he calmly removed his son's copy of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock from beneath the Christmas tree, and put it up for sale on eBay, complete with a lengthy description about why it was being auctioned.With the listing underway, all that was left to do was show the auction page to Isaac, who apparently "was not amused" by the sight of his number one Christmas present going on sale. Funny, that.But kudos to k_lid, we say. That's a pretty calculating, imaginative punishment, and there's nothing wrong with a bit of tough love. Didn't do us any harm. Apart from the panic attacks. And the nightmares. And the endless twitching.[Thanks, Chris!]
Activision replacing mono Guitar Hero III discs for Wii
Good news! Turns out your right ear wasn't insane after all. Apparently, Activision has simultaneously fessed up to the lack of stereo on "some" Guitar Hero III discs for the Wii and offered to make amends. Company spokeswoman Rhy-Ming Poon stated that the firm "recently became aware that some consumers have not been able to enjoy the full audio output in the Nintendo Wii version of Guitar Hero III: Legends of Rock," and added that it was "currently working with Nintendo and planning to issue an improved audio experience in future versions of the game." For users who already bought in, these re-mastered discs should be available at no cost sometime in early 2008, but specifics beyond that weren't disclosed. So yeah, at least you can count on a stereo version hitting your mailbox, but unfortunately, it won't be before the holiday break.[Thanks, Jason]
Red Octane VP excuses axe incompatibility, blames Rock Band issues
Alright, try to stay with us here. Guitar Hero III's axe works just fine with Rock Band, but only the Xbox 360 hardware -- and Rock Band's guitar won't play the first note on any flavor of GHIII. Yeah, it's a bit confusing, but apparently the folks over at 1UP were downright tired of being dizzy, and phoned up Guitar Hero publisher Red Octane's co-founder and VP of Business Development, Charles Huang, to chat about the totally confusing compatibility quandary. We fully understand the complexities in getting the instruments to work with other games, as well as the potential business impact, but Mr. Huang chose to take a different route in explaining why no Guitar Hero title would accept a Rock Band controller. He was quoted as saying that Red Octane wasn't "too interested in having [Harmonix] guitars work on its game, because [Harmonix is] having a lot of issues with its guitars." Of course, this logic begins to fall apart when you realize there was absolutely no compatibility even before these malfunctions came to light. Nice try, though.[Via DailyTech]
Wii Guitar Hero III getting DLC and replacement discs
It's pretty clear that the Wii version of Activision's rockstar simulator is the ugly stepsister of the Guitar Hero III family (aside from the PS2 version, but who plays those things anymore) -- it's got no downloadable content, requires friend codes for online play, is sans Grim Ripper, and to top it all off, it only transmits sound monaurally. However, Activision is not neglecting its rockers of the tiny white box, as it has announced that it will be offering remastered game discs early 2008, and will also enable DLC for the system sometime next year.The new, stereo-enabled discs will be free of charge through Activision, though they haven't announced exactly when they'd be available, or how they would be shipped out. Also, we're not exactly certain how DLC will work on the system (our Wii's system memory is already bogged down by VC gems like Donkey Kong Jr. Math and Urban Champion), but RedOctane is reportedly working feverishly with Nintendo to figure out a method of getting new songs on the Wii. Apparently, trying to wish them onto the system hasn't been working out very well.Read - Guitar Hero III Wii DLC Expected Next YearRead - Fix Coming For Wii's Guitar Hero III Mono Problem[Via 1UP]
Guitar Hero III modder plays it with drums
We're actually kind of perplexed by this video of a Guitar Hero fan who created a set-up to play the game with a MIDI drum kit. It's not because we don't know if it's impressive or not (it is). It's also not because we don't know how he's doing it (we do). What we can't figure out is this: Is Guitar Hero actually more awesome if you play it with drums? We've watched tons of Egyokeo's videos and we still just ... don't ... know.Think about it: Rock Band has guitar and drums, right? But this guy's version of GH III has drums that are a guitar. It's two rock 'n' roll features rolled up in one. Which has us thinking: By that criteria, is Peter Frampton secretly the best video game ever?[Thanks, elle]
Guitar Hero III PC/Mac hybrid done, shipping out Dec. 10
You Mac gamers out there (we know, we know, "both of you") will be pleased to learn that the briefly delayed Guitar Hero III will be shipping to retailers on December 10, so you should be able to snag a copy in time for [insert gift-giving holiday of choice here]. The $80 PC/Mac hybrid disc (that's called a twofer where we're from) is bundled with the USB-based X-plorer guitar and will even include cross-platform multiplayer between the two at times warring platforms. Now how about a showdown between John Hodgman and Justin Long?
New Wiimote hack for the air guitarist in all of us
The idea of using the humble Wiimote to create music seems to have really fired the imagination of the hacking community recently. DJing WiiJing and drumming are already both possible with the waffly versatile controller and a bit of know-how, and now those of you who lack the funds for Guitar Hero III can get your virtual shred on for free.Hacker Evan, maker of the Wiimote drum sampler we linked to exactly one paragraph ago, has developed software that allows users to play air guitar, simply by "strumming" the Remote while holding down the d-pad to alternate between chords, or the B button to toggle between major and minor chords. As Evan points out, this has a similar feel to Jam Sessions on the Nintendo DS, which is far from a bad thing if you ask us.[Thanks, Evan!]
Guitar Hero III's wireless Gibson available solo in early 2008
If you've grown tired of your Guitar Hero rocking partner staring at you longingly while you wirelessly strum your way through Knights of Cydonia, you'll be happy to hear that at least one of your band's schisms will be repaired soon. Activision announced today that they'd be rolling out the wireless Gibsons sans Guitar Hero III for all platforms early next year.Though we love the black model, we hope that we'll also see the guitar in different colors, if only to give our digital bands something new to argue about. See, much like a young Fleetwood Mac, the conflict feeds the music.
Guitar Hero III featured on Will It Blend
Where will it stop, Tom? When will you and the other mad scientists at Blendtec draw the line between the advancement of science and the study of the dark appliance arts? Liquifying a bundle of glowsticks is one thing, but putting an X-plorer guitar (from one of the rip-off Wal-Mart Guitar Hero III bundles) on frappé is a horse of a twisted color (though we admit we were curious what guitar dust looked like, and whether or not we would be allowed to breathe it).It's worth noting that even after being put through the Blendtec gauntlet, the X-plorer still worked better than the Rock Band Stratocaster. Zing!SPOILER ALERT: It blends. It always blends.
